2025-03-13 Merit Appeals Board Minutes

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Merit Appeals Board March 13, 2025 two equal installments —one, the first being on their date of hire, and the second installment after they successfully complete their probationary period. The Police Department does offer incentives in that manner for our recruits and things like that. But the amount that you could offer to be paid in those two equal installments was limited because there were some issues, previously, where the incentives were significant, and being paid on the first day —if someone left while the policy allows for us to collect back any incentive amount that they weren't entitled to, it became —di fficult and onerous on our departments to collect back. So, we wanted to —taken out those payment methods and we also clarified what the period of one-year of work was because it, basically, the calculation for repayment was based on number of whole months worked —and it was very broad. And so, when you're talking about a whole month of February, is very different than a whole month of March. And so, for clarity, we defined the one-year period of work as 2,080 hours. So, while not every year has 2080 hours, for the most part, that's generally what it is. And so, we changed the method of calculation in an instance that someone would have to repay the County to make it easier to calculate and more standardized but, also, having the payment method limited to just those two payment types, means that we're the County is at less risk of overpaying something that someone will not be entitled to because they're being paid every month, while they're here at work. If they left after seven months, those payments would stop. So, they wouldn't have received a whole incentive up front and we wouldn't be trying to collect back the remainder. So, those changes were just to provide some clarifications and to provide some parameters on the program because we had some instances with, really, brought to light, the areas where the County was exposed to losses when we weren't retaining these employees. So, really, move towards focusing on that retention component. CHR. CABANAS: How often do the departments apply the recruitment incentives? Is it more —is it increasing now? MS. TOKIHIRO: Yes. So, over the last several years, it increased significantly. I've actually seen it reduced the use of it has gone down recently, whichI wouldn't say neither positive nor negative. But, so for example in our Vehicle Registration and Licensing Office, they offer - I believe it's $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 incentive particularly, in Kona. The Prosecutor's Office offers recruitment incentives for legal clerk positions in Kona. And it's really just to try and give that little extra incentive for people to come and work for the County. And then, the Police Department provides it for recruits as well. So CHR. CABANAS: Is that across -the board for the recruits? MS. TOKIHIRO: Yes, I believe so. It's a standing not for —so it's just for police. Page 22